Memeorandum

February 12, 2012

Contraception, Ongoing

FEELINGS, NOTHING MORE THAN FEELINGS: The Politico reports on Obama's careful analysis behind the contraception decision:

In the end, Obama was motivated by personal conviction, aides said. He made the passionate case that several million women — many neither Catholic nor rich enough to pay $60 a month for contraception — should have access to free birth control, even while working for church-run institutions.

Let's move past Obama's "free" fantasy and ponder a different question - just how many women work for Catholic-run groups? I don't know either but since the entire US workforce is roughly 130 million, I doubt whether "millions" of poor women are working for the Catholic Church.

Maybe we can develop a bit of a ballpark figure. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishps website includes these employment factoids:

In 2003-2004, the total, full-time equivalent teaching staff in Catholic elementary/middle and secondary schools was 162,337. (That was with a total student enrollment of roughly 2.5 million)

Comments

You notice Obamas comprimises, deals, etc. never actually involve the opposing party. He just comes up ith a 'comprimise' himself and declares it to be a good comprimise for all....of course with a willing media to help out.

I am surpised his comprimise wasn't just explaining that the Catholic doesn't actually have to perform the abortion but will still have to put the condom on persons engaging in 'family planning' activities.

To be specific, Buffett has given hundreds of millions over the years to anti-Catholic front groups like Catholics for Choice (formerly Catholics for a Free Choice) and its sister organization in Latin America, Catholics for the Right to Decide. In 2010, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation alone gave $759,822 to the former, and almost $1.7 million to the latter. These letter-head organizations wouldn’t exist if they depended on donations from members—they don’t have any—they exist because of the likes of Warren Buffett.

Not that it matters, but one FTE can be 2 or more part time workers - who would not necessarily be eligible for employer-based insurance in the first place. And no fair counting institutions with < 500 employees, because those fall under different employer-insurance rules.

The "one-size-fits-all" has more variations in it than any one can easily discover - all of which are vulnerable to selective enforcement, of course.

Women getting closer to front line combat and contraceptives are tied together in more than a sexual way.

"In support of our findings, other evidence indicates that OC use is higher in the military. In 2003, Powell-Dunford et al. 31 estimated that 84% of female active duty U.S. Army personnel had a desire for temporary amenorrhea. Another study found 66% of female cadets at the U.S. Army Military Academy stated that their menstrual symptoms interfered with their physical activities, 32 suggesting a strong desire for temporary amenorrhea. There is also a clear incentive for the military to encourage OC use. The single greatest threat to female troops and the primary reason they were evacuated during the Persian Gulf conflict was pregnancy. 33 Pregnancy in the field can tie up medical and evacuation resources and decreases available troop numbers. A Navy publication even described how temporary amenorrhea in the field can be achieved through continuous OC use: “a woman can go directly from one pack of pills into the next, skipping the ‘week off.’ She won't have a period.” 34"

The Notre Dame letter is all well and good but as a devout Catholic I was furious when ND conferred their Honorary degree on Obama. Now that the scales have fallen from their eyes, I think they could make a REAL public statement that would get national attention by rescinding that honor.

Just back from Mass (younger daughter, Windy, an altar server and today I was an EMHC), or would have responded sooner.

“The widespread concerns expressed by Catholics and people from other faiths have led today to a welcome step toward recognizing the freedom of religious institutions to abide by the principles that define their respective missions. We applaud the willingness of the administration to work with religious organizations to find a solution acceptable to all parties.

“There remain a number of unclear and unresolved issues, and we look forward to joining the U.S. bishops and leaders from other religious institutions to work with the administration to resolve them.”

ISTM that there is slow-motion collision underway on the ND campus. Clearly Jenkins remains committed to Voldemort's Hope & Change. Isn't that the problem, looking for secular heaven here on Earth?

A letter rescinding Voldemort's honorary degree is not likely with Jenkins as President. As divisive as the original award was, campus comity ultimately prevailed, if only a mere fig leaf of cover. With the ND law school's letter, at least 26 ND faculty have publicly expressed their disagreement not just with the mandate, but also by inference their opposition to President Father Jenkins' views.

I am not a ND alum, but I suspect that the entire ND family, Students, Alums, Faculty, Staff, and donors are choosing sides. My money is not on Jenkins, nor, obviously, my support.

Great comment and I agree fully. The ND subway alumni are a mixed bag but the Catholic ones especially the men are usually pretty conservative from my experience with them in the service, business and now on the golf course. I did not know you were a Eucharistic Minister and Windy an altar server. Frederick starts his training during Lent. My ministry is the School.

--He made the passionate case that several million women — many neither Catholic nor rich enough to pay $60 a month for contraception —-

Haven't bought one in many years but what does a condom cost, 50 cents?
If these poor Catholic employees are having sex 120 times a month I'm surprised they're able to get any work done let alone sit for extended periods.
If insurance has to provide whatever type of contraception the employee desires no matter the cost I thought Barry was getting rid of those awful Cadillac plans.

Well, Clarice, I hope he makes it clear he's speaking as an Obama administration member and not as an orthodox Jew. I think the orthodox rabbis are siding with the Catholics on this one, at least if the op-ed in the WSJ the other day is any indication.

sbw:Idle banter last night at a party with someone who was a McCain Republican in the last election. Doesn't know who to support in this election.

Interesting. Most of our closest neighbors are Democrats. But honestly they are really DICFO (Democrats in Coolness Factor Only),meaning it's just not cool to support Republicans because the media says so and the only other game in town is Democrats.

But the overwhelming sense I'm getting is that Obama is dead to them. They were sold a bill of goods,and they are now aware of it. Some still fall for the "if only the Republican obstructionists didn't get in his way,we'd all have skittle-studded unicorns by now",but that's just a few.

I have very little hope that they will consider a Republican in the election (Mitt's cross-over appeal is mythical in this group),but I honestly think there is a good chance we'll see a goodly portion simply choose to sit it out.

These aren't political junkies. These are suburbians who got swept into the first black president who will depose the evil Bush meme in 2008. I think 2012 will return them to a focus on soccer and gymnastics and backyard bonfires bereft of political brickbratical bombs.

I'm employing behavior modification techniques to drive them to this very outcome,plying them with alcohol to make them receptive to my charms.

Its the Church of Obama and it welcomes all as long as they are committed to transforming America to a pure secular humanist Monarchy. They take all - Harry Reid (Mormon), Nancy Pelosi and Kathleen Sibelius (Catholic), Jack Lew (Orthodox Jew) - it don't matter.

Instead of an altar they use an abortionists gurney, little pink pills for communion and the IRS for confessions.

"Does your copy of the Constitution authorize the President to order insurance companies to provide free contraceptive and abortifacients?"

They are going to pay for it by taking money from the Presidential Pension Plan and a new special 90% tax on the speeches and books of present and former, elected and un-elected, federal government employees. Afterall, as President Obama says: “I do think at a certain point you've made enough money.”

If you're not refined and enlightened enough to realize that an unrestricted right to butcher innocent unborn babies is an integral part of a utopian society, then you should just stick to worshiping the woman-oppressing sky fairy of your choice and leave the law-making to your betters.

Come rain, come shine, come sleet, come snow, come the Protestors...no matter if it's a bone chilling deep freeze or a wet soupy warming making us haul in artificial snow for the festivities, the PETA folks will be on hand to make their ethicalness known!

Despite 2 years without a Dog Death in the event, Florida's "Sled Dog Action Coalition" will join PETA, fresh from their own heroic recent bruising in San Diego Courthouses to "Free Willy from Slavery."

This years Protests will kick off at the vaunted Running Of The Reindeers Festival, where Cruelty Investigations spokes-person Gemma somebody is hopeful the Occupy Anchorage Protesters full throatedly join their shrill, shrieking numbers.

An angry, hostile "Marjorie Glickman, of the Sled Dog Action Coalition, said she has never watched the Iditarod first-hand,"
But by osmosis she knows the Race is cruel. "Her agency also views the event as innately inhumane and will continue protesting until it no longer exists, she said."

No word yet on the "Tossing Paint on Fur's Event", but will advise when the details get ironed out.

There is a strong potential for something of a schism. For too long, liberal Catholicism has been unchallenged.

Pelosi, with her statist/nihilist public policies declares she is a devout Catholic and is unchallenged. Her record, and those of so many liberal Catholic Democrats, speaks for itself.

It is in direct conflict with the Teachings of the Church and in alignment in many cases with the enemies of the Church, as on abortion.The defense of partial birth abortion is zealotry in and of itself.

There is no middle ground and this is the fallacy of the Left's argument. That such middle ground exists only because the Bishops do not want to confront the State directly.

With this somewhat minor act as the Administration sees it a line was drawn in the sand. The scales are coming off the eyes of many relaxed Catholics, along with many of other faiths. This is the crux and could be a turning point.

In an environment where the primary intelocutor, Obama, is seen as a sophist, a ditherer, a hider behind women's skirts and a liar the last thing he wants is to be held accountable.

Unfortunately for him, that is what faith is about to most of us.

Maybe we're reaching a turning point.If Mad Nancy and Sebelius are held accountable, what then?

"Religious leaders launched a holy war, led by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience," said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan. Pope Benedict XVI warned of "the grave threats to the Church's public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres." Political conservatives, particularly those running for office, jumped into the fray.

President Obama offered a compromise Friday: If religious employers object, they won't be mandated to offer contraception. Instead, insurance companies would be required to do so free of charge. Obama said: "Every woman should be in control of the decisions that affect her own health. Period." Still, some church leaders vowed to continue their fight.

Most people employed, attending, or using church-affiliated institutions don't have objections to contraception. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D., Conn.), "a committed Catholic," observed that the coverage "will reduce health costs, end long-standing gender discrimination in prescription-drug coverage, and further enable women to lead healthier lives."

Virtually all women, including 98 percent of Catholic women, have used some form of contraception banned by the Vatican. Last April, the Guttmacher Institute noted: "The debate over contraception has long been settled in real-life America.""

And how in the hell did we get to the point where this can be decreed to the entire nation by an unelected federal official

Because congress figured out a long time ago that it was much easier to pass "laws" when the actual details were left to faceless beurocrats. The congress critters and senators get to claim they never initended this to happen, rail against it, then do nothing about it and keep their jobs come election time (the whole time hoping the courts will fix it if its really bad enough).

I can't imagine the framers would have dreamed such laws were constitutional. But given how things stand, I think the only way you fix this is via a constitional amendment that states no regulatory language shall have the force of law unless it is voted into force by congress and signed by the president.

You know them as the lay people in church who get up during the Communion Rite and troop up to the altar to recveive their chalices and small servings of the wafer to administer. We have such a large church and attendence we usually have 16 EHMC at each mass in addition to the Deacon and the Priest.

For starters, Sarah Palin needs to do something with that rats' nest on her head. Can you say new hairstyle, Sarah?

What was John McCain thinking when he chose that skank for his running mate? She is soooo low class. She looks like a throwback to the 50's, a dumpy, seedy retread from the movie, Grease. Adding to her obnoxiousness, she even screeches like Fran Drescher. Did I mention that she is a skank? She fit right in with the women attending CPAC. I've never seen a room full of so many low class skanks.

BTW if Clarice has an unofficial count of 167 there are only about 180 Roman Catholic bishops and archbishops nationwide, and there is something like 8-10 vacancies currently. My guess, the Bishops are in fact unanimous, as its doctrinaire.

And Cecil point makes mine even stronger. The Roman Catholic vote has left the reservation to vote for Reagan and Bush. Its not a stretch to say this runs the very real risk of driving them to do so again, and turning a close election into a rout. So I say keep it up Barack you are going to win on this point if you only stick to your guns.

For the first time ever, Ranger, you were right. Somebody needed to chang the subject. It was a cinch that you were too stupid to do it. Your comment there was typical of the only kind of tripe that you ever post here. You imbecile.

Pssst, Ranger is this site's resident genuine authenic fool and imbecile ..., well, him and the Danube Of Dullness.

Ranger, it has been on my mind lately that, just say, God was on the side of paleoconservatives and one day decided it was time to send a cataclysm to arrest the wholesale destruction of traditional moral values. Even if God did that, it woudln't work, people today would not make the connection and at least 50% of the world would blame the cataclysm on conservatives.

Which is exactly what is happening in Greece; they just cannot see who or what or where the fault lies for their problems.

“I think we’re going to call that the Sarah Palin Employment Act. And, you guys need to thank me for employing more people probably in their imitations of Sarah Palin than the president has put Americans to work… It is a stimulus act, yes.”

From what I have been told there is no Bishop not out of the country at the time who did not write the letter to their diocese. There could have been a few in Rome and didn't write their letter until later.

If anyone knows a diocesean Bishop not on board I'd like to know who it is.

OT: Compelling golf on CBS. Lefty has overcome a 7 stroke deficit going into final round at Pebble to take a 2 shot lead over Charlie Wii and a 5 shot lead on Tiger. 5 holes to go.

Matta sat there with his mouth open and his face hanging out most of the second half. How many McDonald's All Americans are on the squad, 4? And it seems like the whole squad was a Mr. Basketball for Ohio. On paper he does have more talent, but yes the coaching was abysmal. Izzo designed a plan to take advantage of what OSU was giving them. It was masterful, and fun to watch.

Its the best I have seen him play in quite a while. This is like the 4 straight year where he started his year out of the top ten or missed cut in his first 3 tournaments only to win the 4th one. Remarkable stat.

I always thought the best 'family planning' would be to keep it in the family. Therefore, before any insurance company provides free abortion services, the family needs to see if Grandma will first pony up the resources to abort their grandchild.

Only in the odd case if she turns them down, then can they apply for free coverage.

I mean if the left believes this issue is all about women...then Grandma would be the appropriate women to turn to first.

Don't you remember the polling outfits whoring up the results when the Democrats first drained the poisoned chalice of Obamacare? Clarice is correct about the division of feelers and thinkers and my bet is that polling will reveal the fact that this decision is going to rank above support of the occupoopers among the dumbest moves by BOzo.

I'm sure that Clarice would agree that we all need to encourage BOzo to stick by his guns on this one. That and email Sibelius that we all hope she can get more regulations out ASAP.

I want to thank you for your encouraging comments about the upcoming election. It's a frightening time in America, and even though I think that people understand this, it is worrisome to read some of the poll numbers that show Obama's numbers anywhere over 45%. I always look forward your positive information and insight.

The following is from an update I juat received from Verify the Recall.

In the last week and a half, you have been working hard to complete the data entry process of the Governor Walker recall petitions. With so many volunteers working on the petitions, the pace of the data entry has been truly astounding! As of Saturday, February 11, Verify The Recall volunteers have entered over 1.6 million gubernatorial recall signatures into the database! That's an average of:
200,000 signatures per day!
8,333 signatures per hour!
138.9 signatures per minute!
2.35 signatures per second!
Keep up the great work. Remember, for the sake of accuracy, all petition signatures need to be entered into the database multiple times. We estimate that approximately 65% of the gubernatorial recall pages have been completed thus far.
Your efforts are changing the way Wisconsin treats the integrity of its elections. Through your actions, you have made a firm and meaningful statement: Wisconsin elections must be clean and honest, because our elections are the backbone of our freedom. Your voice is heard loud and clear by our state government and by partisan groups on both sides of the isle.
Verify The Recall expects to announce the next steps regarding our challenge to the GAB's decision to ignore the citizens of Wisconsin soon. Discussions with our lawyers continue. We will update you with our next steps as soon as possible. One thing is for sure: Verify The Recall WILL fight to ensure that our government listens to the people!

Now you are as up to date as I am. Best day of skiing so far this year and now I'm off to enter a few more names.

I can't figure out the status of the command at this point. I agree with you Rick, I want the guy who keeps his heat at 80 to stand by his decision, but I have no idea where it stands today. The TV is saying he backed off, but it doesn't seem like he did when I read here.

Maybe CBS can cook up one of their specialties, you know one of the +14 D samples with as favorable wording of the question as is possible. That might move the meter, except that more and more folks are onto the game played by the networks. Last poll I saw said 67% described them as BIASED.